“Do you really need to ask that? It’s obvious to bully the weakest first.” Brendel said as he fiddled his thumbs.

There was actually another choice for him to take, and that was to sneak off and try to control Valhalla. But there were two reasons why he stayed behind. The first obvious reason was Scarlett. There was a considerable distance to Valhalla’s core and who knew what kind of puzzles or defenses it had. It was an awful choice to leave her behind.

The second reason was the chance to take down Andesha and Amman. These two people were foes that he did not wish to have in the human world. The Unifying Guild had spies deeply rooted in the human society, and the Tree Shepherds were a bunch of crazy people. He did not want to fight them in the dark.

It was best to leave them here in the Dark Forest for all eternity.

[Archmage William was too cautious and I didn’t benefit much, but now Mephisto has given me a real chance. Honestly, Andesha’s Element Power of Withering Decay is a real problem when I don’t have the Dragon of Darkness’s flames any longer, but Mephisto counters her nicely. This exposes her weakness that she covered up almost perfectly.]

“Very well, I’ll try,” Faena answered after thinking for a while, “but his power outranks me greatly and it’s not as if I can inspect him up close. I’m not sure if I can do it.”

“Don’t worry. He’s now an Undead. The protective Holy Runes unravels itself because they are repelled. It’s not going to be as hard as you think.”

Faena nodded.

Veronica moved closer to Amman and said: “Your Eminence, it’s not too late for you to turn back. As a close friend of the Empire, I don’t wish to fight you.”

“Turn back?” Amman laughed sneeringly: “Will the Holy Cathedral of Fire accept an Undead as their priest? And I’m even brought back to life through necromancy. You know very well how this is done, Veronica. Cease your pretty words because they have no meaning to me.”

Veronica was not surprised at Amman’s answer, and her intention was merely to disrupt his concentration. But an Undead’s willpower was indeed as cold as a blade and her words did not affect him at all. Thus she did not speak anymore and brandished her sword. She swung it once and a flock of green birds burst out from the blade, and they flew towards Amman in a beautiful arc from two directions.

Several golden shields appeared and disappeared, with each materialization defending against every single bird. A shower of sparks rained from the sky.

“The Blessing of Flames,” Faena said.

“The spell that uses this Rune automatically activates and defends, but if the caster doesn’t detect an incoming attack, it’s useless. Continue.”

Brendel gripped Halran Gaia, staring at Amman’s blind spot.

“There’s a Wall created with a layer of Spiritual power. It activates upon touch.”

“That defensive spell only guards the front. Anything else?”

“Aegis Runes and Farsight Runes.”

“That’s a little troublesome. Is that it?”

“I think…… that’s it.”

Brendel nodded. The testing phase between Veronica and Amman was over, and they were now fighting with their full power.

The bishop could not have expected someone to hide their presence in the clearing when Amandina and he had guarded the area. Furthermore, Brendel knew how to work against the Runes of Farsight. The youth steadied his breath and concentrated on a single point on Amman’s skin; his experience made him even more dangerous than any of the Mage Hunters in this era. When he pushed the invisibility cloak aside, Amman felt a slight prickling on his back, but the bishop’s complete attention was on Veronica and he ignored it.

Since Veronica was facing Brendel’s direction, she caught sight of him the instant he appeared, as well as Faena and Sifrid. Her pupils contracted in surprise at the fact that she and the others did not detect him.

[As expected from the experienced Goddess of Combat. She doesn’t show any reactions, but that’s also a reply to me.]

Brendel believed that she would not let him down, and she indeed became even more aggressive.

“Is that boy around?” Amman said suddenly, feeling that prickling sensation growing stronger. “But he’s no help to you. He can’t get through my defenses, and you’re no match for me.”

“Bishop Amman, I didn’t realize that becoming an Undead would make you become arrogant.” Veronica gave a faint smile.

“Watch your back, fool!” Andesha’s low bellow came from the sky.

Amman scoffed, but his muscles suddenly stiffened.

“Oss!” Brendel muttered under his breath, bringing his thumb up, as he blazed towards Amman with the Charge ability.

Wizard professions in the game copied high-level NPCs’ tactics early in the game, combining Aegis Runes and Runes of Farsight. Thieves and rogues grumbled all the time, until they discovered the method to overcome the combination. They managed to bypass the Runes of Farsight by hiding their presence, and disrupted the Aegis Runes for a short while by attacking the neck.

Brendel swung his sword and cut Amman’s back like a hot knife through butter. The bishop screamed as he was pushed forward straight onto Veronica’s sword. He screamed again as the sword impaled through his abdomen.

However, Amman retreated took several steps back and Veronica’s sword was out of him. He then turned away to flee.

“In your dreams!” Amman howled bitterly. He raised his hand and the red bracelet on his wrist exploded. A circle of white light enveloped him and he disappeared right where he was, but there was an arrow on his back when he reappeared a hundred meters away.

“Tsk.” Brendel clicked his tongue and lowered his Shale Longbow.: “Door of Teleportation? You’re panicking too much and it’s all too easy to predict, fool.”

Amman fell over and did not get up.

Veronica beamed and said:

“Brendel, just where exactly did you learn your skills from? Even the best knights in the Empire can’t compare, you little rascal.”

“I’m a descendant of a Highland Knight. It’s a talent that’s passed down each generation.” Brendel casually lied through his teeth and handed her real sword over. “Please help Mephisto out. I can dispel Andesha’s dragon form.”

Veronica swiveled her head and peered at the youth out of the corners of her eyes.

Brendel shook off the murky blood off Halran Gaia. Andesha had swiped her tail several times at Mephisto, but the latter had regained enough strength to make a smaller World of Ashes and avoided her attacks. When she realized that Amman was defeated, she landed onto a building and coiled her body around it, looking like a gigantic beast waiting to ambush someone from the shadows.

She was large enough to create a shadow that covered Brendel and Veronica.

Even though the battle was now a three to one fight, Andesha did not act like she would retreat at all. She was too prideful and did not think that Brendel and Veronica was a threat to her due to the overwhelming difference in power.

“What exactly is your plan? She’s now on a different level,” Veronica asked.

“Suffice to say that I can do it.”

“I would rather suggest that you bring Faena and Scarlett out of here. A dragon isn’t easy to deal with, but I’ll convince Mephisto to delay her.”

“And if I do, what about you?” Brendel glanced at her.

“Me? As a general of the Empire, fighting to my death isn’t a disgrace.” Veronica laughed. “Faena’s status is unique and I need to protect her.”

“It’s not as hard as you think. Even though Andesha has become a dragon, she’s a false one. She only inherited the defense and strength of a Golden Lineage, but the reason why the dragons are powerful is that of the Mana flowing in them. In fact, the knowledge of the humans and Elves came from the Dragons.”

Veronica nodded. It was noted down in history.

“In the end, Andesha is a Druid. Once I cut off her connection from nature, she will be powerless.”

“That’s nearly an impossible task.”

“Indeed, but it’s going to be a simple task for me. Do you know that the Golden Demonic Tree is the strongest object that can sever nature’s link?”

Veronica did not understand what the youth was talking about, but he nodded to himself confidently.

Brendel was free from the Blood of Gods’s corruption. However, that did not mean that his blood was not corrupted.

[Congratulations on digging your own grave, Andesha. It’s karma for giving me the Blood of Gods.]